Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Beyoncé, Serena Williams' Traumatic Birth Experiences Highlight Ongoing Need For Improved Maternal Care In U.S.
The Washington Post: Beyoncé, Serena Williams Open Up About Potentially Fatal Childbirths, A Problem Especially For Black Mothers
Beyoncé. Serena Williams. While one is a singer and the other is a professional tennis player, there are many similarities between the women’s lives. Both are at the top of their respective fields — Beyoncé has 22 Grammy Awards. Williams has 23 Grand Slam singles titles. Both are African American. Both are mothers. But the women have shared one life experience that has recently attracted widespread attention: Both survived potentially fatal pregnancy complications. (Chiu, 8/7)
The Wall Street Journal: The Genetic Test Some Men Don’t Know They Need
Mark Meerschaert learned from a posting in a family Facebook group a few years ago that a close male relative tested positive for an inherited mutation in the BRCA2 gene. The gene mutation is widely associated with female breast and ovarian cancer, but increases risk for other cancers, too. The relative suggested that family members consider getting tested. Dr. Meerschaert, a 62-year-old statistics and probability professor at Michigan State University, ignored the advice at first. He had already been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and as the father of two sons, getting tested didn’t feel urgent or relevant in the same way it might have, he says, if he had daughters. “I was still thinking about it mainly as a problem for the women in the family,” he says. (Marcus, 8/7)
The Associated Press: Advocates Condemn Psych Techniques Used To Keep Kids Online
Children's advocates want the American Psychological Association to condemn the tech industry's practice of using persuasive psychological techniques to keep kids glued to their screens. The advocates, citing research that links excessive use of social media and video games with depression and academic troubles, say it's unethical for psychologists to be involved in tactics that risk harming kids' well-being. Skeptics say the research is inconclusive, and they note that psychologists have been involved in other industries' marketing and advertising for decades. (Tanner and O'Brien, 8/8)
The New York Times: Why We All Need To Drink More During Hot Weather Exercise
Don’t skip drinking during exercise in hot weather, a new study reminds us. This advice might seem obvious. But apparently some athletes, especially in team sports, have begun to eschew fluids during hot weather workouts, in hopes that the privation might somehow make them stronger. But the new study finds that it is likely only to make them more physically stressed. And very, very thirsty. (Reynolds, 8/8)
The Associated Press: Experts Question Benefits Of Fluoride-Free Toothpaste
Dental health experts worry that more people are using toothpaste that skips the most important ingredient — fluoride — and leaves them at a greater risk of cavities. Most toothpastes already contain fluoride. While health authorities recognize fluoride as a cavity blocker, the internet is dotted with claims, often from “natural” toothpaste marketers and alternative medicine advocates, that fluoride-free toothpaste also prevents cavities. Dental authorities disagree. (Donn, 8/7)
The New York Times: Experimental Ebola Vaccine Can Be Used In Latest Outbreak, W.H.O. Says
The effort to contain the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo received a boost on Tuesday with news that an experimental vaccine can be used to combat the deadly virus. Dr. Peter Salama, the World Health Organization’s deputy director general for emergencies, said the latest outbreak, in North Kivu Province, involves the Zaire strain of the virus. (Satoshi Sugiyama, 8/7)
